Graduate Student Symposium

2026 Physics Graduate Student Symposium

The Wake Forest Department of Physics hosted the 2026 Physics Graduate Student Symposium on Saturday Aug 29th 2026. The day was a successful and grand combination of oral presentations, lightning talks, and poster sessions, showcasing the diverse and innovative research being conducted by Wake Forest Physics students. Graduate students, faculty, researchers and guests came altogether to making it a memorable day.

The symposium began with opening remarks from Professor Fred Salsbury, Physics Graduate Program Director, and Professor Rebecca Alexander, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Community Engagement. The event also featured a plenary talk by Professor Christopher Monroe of Duke University and founder of IonQ, who discussed quantum computing and its growing impact on academia and industry.

Throughout the day, graduate students presented research spanning a wide range of areas, including quantum physics, astrophysics, biophysics, organic electronics, environmental dynamics, computational physics, and advanced algorithms.

The program also included a career talk by Wake Forest Physics alumnus Zach Lamport, providing students with valuable insights into career opportunities beyond academia.

2026 Physics Graduate Student Symposium

The symposium concluded with a social mixer on the Olin Rooftop, where participants continued conversations, celebrated the day’s accomplishments, and outstanding presentations and posters were recognized and awarded.

The annual symposium provided an exciting opportunity to showcase the diverse and innovative research being conducted by Wake Forest Physics graduate students while strengthening connections within the department’s research community.